A dog may be man’s best friend, but a cat might be baby’s best babysitter.
A Canadian baby named Connar was not a happy baby, nor did his teary protests hint that a feline friend would be welcome.
Then black cat Stewie arrived at Connar’s side. Stewie’s patient stroking calmed the infant who fell asleep at the paws of the family pet.
Cat soothes crying baby to sleep
“Super memory” pill–and possibly an Alzheimer’s cure–could be around the corner
Scientists have isolated a gene in mice that works to give them "super memories" and reverses the course of several degenerative mental illnesses like Alzheimer's. And because of the similarity of mice and human brains, a powerful brain pill for humans may now not be far off.(Damian Dovarganes/AP)
The brains of both mice and humans release a gene known as PKR, which is triggered by the onset of Alzheimer's. But the newly discovered gene can apparently block PKR's release--a development that not only can reverse the course of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, but induces a state of "super memory" in the mice it has been tested on.
"If we were to find an inhibitor, a molecule, a drug that will specifically block PKR, we should be able to do the same [in humans]," Maura Costa-Mattioli, who led the research study at Baylor University, told the Vancouver Sun. "And we did."
via news.yahoo.com
Find Tall Boots That Actually Fit
My calves are too wide to fit most tall boots—is there anything I can do? Unfortunately, the questions is all-too common. But luckily there are a few solutions. If you’re sick of struggling to get boots zipped, use one of these three resources to find a better fit.
1. Go to WideWidths.com. This site works directly with footwear brands like Naturalizer and David Tate to create exclusive styles that accommodate fuller calves. Also, check out plus-size retailers like Torrid and Silhouettes, which often feature roomier styles that are available online only.
Learn the secrets of wardrobe stylists.
2. Pick up the Boot Band. This clever leather insert, shaped like an inverted triangle, zips right into any pair of tall boots to extend the calf and ankle width. It comes in brown, black and a variety of fun patterns like zebra stripe. ($75; BootBand.com)
Get your kids to do what you ask
kids-chores
Whitney Noble has had the same problem since her kids were small. When she asks Ryan and Lindsay, now 12 and 15, to help out — put away the school bag, take out the garbage — they say, “Sure.” But too often, the Thornhill, Ont., mom ends up doing the dirty work herself. What gives?
“It’s always ‘Oops, I forgot!’ or ‘I’ll do it later!’ or, most infuriating, ‘It wasn’t my mess!’” says Noble, who claims her kids have always suffered from the magic fairy syndrome. “They figure the fairy (me!) will do their jobs if they don’t!” It’s a frustration we all can relate to — yet it’s important to keep calm while encouraging kids to follow through with age-appropriate household tasks. Here are some helpful strategies:
5 Ways You Should Be Wearing Your Eyeliner
COLORED BOTTOM LINEREye makeup guru Taylor Chang-Babaian says it's easy to wear a statement look even if you don't have a steady hand or hours of practice. All you need for this bold look is a long-wear pencil liner in a bright color of your choice. Long-wear liners are usually twist-up pencils, so you can't control the sharpness of the tip, which prevents drawing a straight edge. However, unlike kohl pencils, long-wear pencils will give you bold matte color that'll last for hours. (I like Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner, $23.) Apply the liner to just your lower lashline from the inner to outer corners, using short strokes. To pull it into a cohesive look, you can apply eyeshadow in the same color family to your upper lids, but make it two shades brighter. Break up the bright color by applying a thin black line to your upper lashline and apply mascara.
World's Top 12 Worst Holiday Foods
Just when you thought Grandma's Christmas sugar cookies and hot buttered rum were the worst waistline wreckers out there, these 12 holiday foods from around the world may, er, take the cake. Full of butter, sugar, and notoriously fatty ingredients, the only thing these international foods are giving this holiday season is the gift of girth. See what deep-fried, gravy-layered dish takes first prize for the worst holiday food in the world.
Classic Cookie Recipes Made Lighter
The most common turkey-making mistakes - Shine from Yahoo! Canada
Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro, cooking a turkey can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be.(Thinkstock)
There are several common mistakes that people make when it comes to making a holiday turkey from the prep to the cooking and even serving. Thankfully, you can still salvage your turkey from most mishaps.
Below are five of the most common mistakes people make, and how to fix them.
Mistake: Thawing the turkey at room temperature
Thawing your turkey at room temperature ups your risk for food borne illness like E. coli and salmonella.
Powerful quakes hit N. Zealand city
New Zealand's Christchurch was rocked by a fresh series of powerful earthquakes on Friday, sending terrified people fleeing into the streets 10 months after a devastating quake claimed 181 lives.
Two shallow quakes of magnitude 5.8 and 5.9 and a series of aftershocks struck as malls were packed with afternoon Christmas shoppers, sending stock tumbling from the shelves and turning the festive mood to panic.
The quakes, which temporarily closed the international airport and disrupted communications, were the latest in a series that began 15 months ago and have destroyed much of the inner-city.
Local news media reported people fleeing in fear as the quake and a series of aftershocks rattled the city, leading to liquefaction and flooding in some suburbs worst hit by previous earthquakes.
Liquefaction is caused when shaking loosens the bonds between soil particles, turning the ground into a quagmire.
Kiefer Sutherland attacks another poor, defenseless Christmas tree
Twitter/Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is proving that he doesn't take himself too seriously: The Canadian actor's new holiday greeting card pokes fun at his somewhat infamous 2006 Christmas-tree incident.
Yesterday, the actor tweeted a "Happy holidays!" message to his Twitter followers, and attached the above photo of himself jokingly attacking a Christmas tree. For those worried the gorgeous ornaments would get destroyed, Sutherland helpfully included the caption "(just kidding)."
Good thing he made that clear, considering the actor has a bit of a history with Christmas trees.
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
3 Holiday Foods that Actually Help You Lose Weight
It's the holidays and you're supposed to be enjoying yourself! Problem is, you're reading all these blogs about how fattening eggnog is, so you'll have to borrow Santa's pants after the string of holiday soirees you've got lined up.Related: Which Is Healthier: Hot Chocolate or Eggnog?
Today, I'd like to bring you a little good cheer, to tell you about three holiday foods that might actually help you lose weight. Cue: Little Drummer Boy… Drumroll, please.
Holiday Weight-Loss Wonder #1: Pistachios. Various studies show that people who eat nuts tend to be leaner than those who don't, and a recent Harvard study revealed that nuts are a top food for driving weight loss. Read the full list: Top 5 Foods for Weight Loss (and 5 That Make You Gain). Pistachios, in particular, are a great choice: a 1-ounce serving (157 calories) contains a generous 49 nuts. The ones you have to shell yourself are even better, as removing the shells slows you down and seeing evidence of what you've eaten may prevent you from reaching in for more. In a recent study out of Eastern Illinois University, people who were given unshelled pistachios consumed 41 percent fewer calories than those offered nuts with the shells already removed.
13 causes of cancer that you can avoid
One of the most troubling things about cancer is that it can strike almost anyone, anywhere at any time - and that the likelihood of getting cancer is increasing. But according to a recent story by Michelle Roberts over at the BBC, over 40% of cancers are related to lifestyle choices - and therefore presumably preventable.
The key lifestyle-related causes of cancer are:
1. Tobacco
2. Alcohol
3. Lack of fruit and vegetables
4. Meat
5. Lack of fibre
6. Overweight
7. Lack of physical exercise
8. Post-menopause
9. Infections (such as HPV)
10. Ionising Radiation
11. Occupational hazard (including chemical exposures)
12. Reproduction
13. Sun exposure and sun beds
Three Financial Lessons Gen Z Needs to Learn to Survive
A new approach to raising money-smart kids needs to be embraced by parents of Generation Z (children born between 1997 and 2004). While the parents are adjusting to a tough economy and a "new normal" for investing, the children will be forever marked by the recession and the societal changes because of it. Parents in the past may have wrestled with whether or not to give an allowance and if so, whether to tie it to chores. Parents today have a bigger dilemma. They are wondering how to raise a self -sufficient child and the answer to that question will make or break whether the child survives and thrives financially in the future.
There is no doubt that Generation Z will feel the compounding effects of the bursting of the real estate bubble in 2008 with a net loss of wealth in American households of $11.2 trillion dollars. While these youngsters slept soundly in their beds at night, there were decisions made that mortgaged their future with $700 billion initially committed for TARP, $1.2 trillion for federal stimulus programs, and $6.4 trillion for Federal Reserve rescue efforts. Forget "new normal." This is the "normal" for Generation Z. They are facing an uncertain future with continued high unemployment rates, increasing cost of college tuition, and the possibility of a sustained period of low growth in the U.S. economy.
Giant plumes of methane bubbling to surface of Arctic Ocean
Russian scientists have discovered hundreds of plumes of methane gas, some 1,000 meters in diameter, bubbling to the surface of the Arctic Ocean. Scientists are concerned that as the Arctic Shelf recedes, the unprecedented levels of gas released could greatly accelerate global climate change.Igor Semiletov of the Russian Academy of Sciences tells the UK's Independent that the plumes of methane, a gas 20 times as harmful as carbon dioxide, have shocked scientists who have been studying the region for decades. "Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of meters in diameter," he said. "This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures, more than 1,000 metres in diameter. It's amazing."
Gambler denied $58M jackpot over slot machine ‘software error’
When the fruit stops spinning after you pull a slot machine lever and the lights start flashing and bells start ringing, most people would assume they've won.That is exactly what happened to Behar Merlaku when he was playing at an Austrian casino, but instead of walking out of the casino with $58 million (43 million euros), he was offered $100 and a free meal.
Merlaku, a Swiss national, was playing when he saw four out of five matches appear earlier this year. Even though the machine told him he won, the casino bosses said the jackpot was due to a "software error."
Orange you glad Tangerine Tango is the colour of 2012?
Tangerine Tango, an electric orange red, is the colour of 2012, according to the Pantone Color Institute, and I for one am extremely excited about the news. It’s warm, uplifting, and energizing, and it happens to look great with almost every skin tone. The vibrant shade has already made its way onto fashion designers’ radars and surely there will be even more examples to come, as Pantone’s predictions influence all manner of consumer product manufacturers from cosmetic companies to paint suppliers. We’ve pulled together some fashion and beauty options that are already available to give you a jump on your 2012 style.Each year the Pantone Color Institute forecasts the colour for the year ahead and the due diligence is intense. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Institute who spearheads the project, notes Pantone experts scour the world and consider what’s percolating in every possible industry. They also put Eiseman’s background in psychology to good use. “There’s a lot of homework that goes into it. But it’s also, what is it that people are needing? There are a lot of concerns out there and serious issues we are facing. Colour, from a psychological standpoint, can be uplifting. We arrived at this particular orange because it’s hopeful and optimistic and also has sophistication.”
Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner Review
What To Look For In A Pressure Cooker And Pressure Canner
* Aluminum Vs. Steel: The former heats up well and costs less, but steel will last longer.
* Size: All pressure cookers need extra space for steam to build up, which you should factor into your decision.
* Pressure regulator: Different cookers have different ways of indicating the current pressure and keeping the pressure within a certain range.
* Safety: Pressure can be dangerous, so it’s wise to choose a cooker/canner with inbuilt protection.
* Warranty: It’s recommended to look for a 10 year+ warranty.
* Cooking Rack: Choosing cookers with a cooking rack will allow you to cook things above the water.
* Handles: Larger pressure cookers will need handles on both sides to help you move them easily.
Homes on Top of the World
Mountaintops have an allure as a destination, as the physical representation of a mission accomplished, of success achieved following hard work. “If you don’t scale the mountain, you can’t view the plain,” says one of numerous Chinese proverbs dealing with mountaintops. All this glamour is deserved. It’s tough enough getting to the top of a mountain, never mind making that place your own. Once there, there’s nothing like a commanding view from a house above the treetops, or from an apartment dozens of stories above street level, to make a homeowner feel like the Master of the Universe.While, for the most part, no one has yet figured out a way to put a price on the great outdoors, sellers do place a significantly higher price on a house that’s situated high up for spectacular views of mountains, fields, or scenic bodies of water. In cities, those penthouse apartments offering a twinkling panorama of the urban grid command a pretty penny as well. The following properties start out at nearly $3 million, and from there, the prices soar on up to nearly $50 million for one single-family house in Malibu. Very often, a buyer needs to be on top of the heap, financially speaking, to live at the top of the hill or apartment building. Those lucky buyers are likely to soon find themselves amassing friends in high places.
Brad Pitt Touched by Evil | Movie Talk
Giddyup! Check out this amazing transformation of Brad Pitt into a crazy-haired Kramer look-alike for the New York Times magazine's "Hollywood Issue." The theme for the issue is "Touch of Evil," which celebrates some of the year's best performances by asking actors such as Kirsten Dunst and Rooney Mara to turn to the dark side.Cover image courtesy of The New York Times Magazine
On the New York Times website the photos come to life with music and video, but be warned: Some of these creepy images may haunt you.
Not least of which is Pitt, who stares wildly as he moves his head slowly toward the camera, moths flying about him, mouth open in a silent scream, doing odd things with his tongue.
Mysterious planet-sized object spotted near mercury?
Is a giant, cloaked spaceship orbiting around Mercury?A mysterious object is seen following in Mercury's path
That's been the speculation from some corners aftera camera onboard NASA's STEREO spacecraft caught a wave of electronically charged material shooting out from the sun and hitting Mercury.
Theorists have seized on the images captured from the "coronal mass ejection" (CME) last week as suggestive of alien life hanging out in our own cosmic backyard. Specifically, the solar flare washing over Mercury appears to hit another object of comparable size. "It's cylindrical on either side and has a shape in the middle. It definitely looks like a ship to me, and very obviously, it's cloaked," YouTube-user siniXster said in his video commentary on the footage, which has generated hundreds of thousands of views this week. Now, how this user was able to determine that the object was "obviously" a cloaked spaceship with no other natural explanation remains as much a mystery as the object itself.
5 expenses that will consume 50% of your lifetime earnings
In these recessionary times, financial tips are flowing fast and furious about how to save money and stick to a budget. Facing a sea of information many people are asking, "Where do I start?" For most of us, five areas of spending will consume over 50% of the money we earn during our lifetime, so that's the best place to begin.
The five areas are: Home, car, children, education and retirement. Here's what you need to know about each:
- Don't bite off more HOME than you can chew. How much house can you comfortably afford? For most people the answer is a house with a purchase price of no more than 3x their annual household income. Rationale: the cost of a home includes much more than the monthly mortgage payment. It's also property tax, insurance, upkeep, etc. Typically these costs run 2%-3% of the price of your home each year. Assuming a 20% down payment, a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, and interests rates in the 5%-6% rate, the 3x your income rule of thumb will translate into total housing costs of roughly 30% of your gross income.
Winnipeg’s Sean Quigley has YouTube hit with holiday cover
Sixteen-year-old Sean Quigley, a grade-11 student at Winnipeg's Oak Park High School, produced, directed and edited the video of his going-viral rock-heavy rendition of "Little Drummer Boy." Quigley arranged, composed, recorded, mixed and mastered the song, in addition to playing all the instruments on the track.
"My dad was a drummer, so he got me into that early," Quigley told the Winnipeg Sun, adding that he began learning to play at age of 4.
"Then I just sort of expanded my music in general, learning different instruments. A lot was self-taught. There were a few formal lessons, as well."
"Drummer Boy speaks to me so much,"
6 Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
Most of us, I'd hope, would call a doctor if we were struck by blinding head pain, suddenly couldn't feel one side of our body, or, frankly, noticed fist-size bumps emerging from our foreheads. But some symptoms aren't so obviously dire. We asked writer Allen St. John to put together a list of surprising symptoms you should never ignore. Why? Because your life may literally be hanging in the balance. Call your doctor immediately if you feel . . .
1. SEVERE BACK PAIN
What it feels like: Similar to the kind of agony you'd expect if you'd tried to bench press an armoire. The usual remedies—heat, rest, OTC painkillers—offer no relief.What it could be: "If it's not related to exercise, sudden severe back pain can be the sign of an aneurysm," says Sigfried Kra, M.D., an associate professor at the Yale school of medicine. Particularly troubling is an abdominal aneurysm, a dangerous weakening of the aorta just above the kidneys. If it bursts, you’ll die within minutes.
5 Signs you've had too much caffeine
You may love caffeine's feel-good effects, but overdosing can harm your health. Here's how to tell if you're overdoing itPhoto by Nina Matthews Photography via Flickr
Photo by Nina Matthews Photography via Flickr
You know you're a caffeine addict when your eyes won't open before you've taken your first sip of morning Joe, or if your co-workers call you "Crabby" when you skip your afternoon Diet Coke. While the best part of waking up may indeed be Folgers in your cup, being over-caffeinated may also be harmful. "Studies have found that some caffeine can improve mental acuity and performance throughout the day, but too much caffeine can negatively impact your mood, energy, and even health," says Erin Palinski, RD, CDE, CPT, who has a private practice in New Jersey.
5 Worst Cars on the Road
Automotive design is all about personal choice. So hats off to automakers willing to take aesthetic risks. And now put the hats back on. Seriously, these five cars should never have been built.
Sometimes things just turn out bad. The best idea meets the tip of a stylist's pencil and it all goes wrong from there. But not all is necessarily lost when what works on paper doesn't in the real world. Many times the worst ideas take on a whole new life of their own as collector cars or really big flower boxes on the front lawn. Either way, it can bring closure to a project that should have never left the design studio. Case in point, read on.
Clark Gable’s Secret Daughter Dies
Judy Lewis, the secret daughter of screen stars Clark Gable and Loretta Young, has died at 76. But her fascinating story lives on.Lewis was conceived while Young was unwed and Gable was married to his second wife, Maria Langham. The two were filming "The Call of the Wild." Their affair resulted in a super secret pregnancy and a hush-hush birth. The actress left her love child at an orphanage for 19 months, returning only then to adopt her. Clearly, this was long before the Internet, DNA testing, or baby daddies.
British border staff, teachers, weather forecasters join 1-day strike over pension reform
LONDON - Airline passengers arriving in Britain escaped chaos early Wednesday despite dire predictions of long waits, as border staff joined teachers, hospital workers and weather forecasters in the country's largest strike in decades.
The one-day strike has been called in protest at the government's plan to make public sector pensions less generous in the years ahead. The pension reforms are part of a package of austerity measures designed to get a grip on the country's high borrowing levels.
London's Heathrow Airport and scores of airlines had warned that international travellers could be held in lines for up to 12 hours at immigration halls as a result of staff shortages. But airport managers said flights arriving early Wednesday from the United States, Asia and Europe were largely unaffected, in part because of contingency plans which saw bureaucrats drafted in to staff border desks.
8 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating
As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor at EatingWell Magazine, I know that herbs and spices do more than simply add flavor to food. They let you cut down on some less-healthy ingredients, such as salt, added sugars and saturated fat, and some have inherent health benefits, many of which Joyce Hendley reported on for EatingWell Magazine.Modern science is beginning to uncover the ultimate power of spices and herbs, as weapons against illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. "We're now starting to see a scientific basis for why people have been using spices medicinally for thousands of years," says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of Healing Spices (Sterling, 2011).
How black licorice can help your digestion
You probably tried black licorice when you were a kid, and either loved it or hated it. Its sweet taste is distinct and has similar flavouring to fennel or anise. In fact, licorice candy often contains less licorice extract and more anise flavouring, but it's the extract - the remnants of boiled licorice root - that has many health benefits.
In Chinese medicine, licorice root is considered to have strong anti-inflammatory properties and is a treatment of a variety of illnesses, from stomach ulcers to diabetes. It is used to soothe coughs and sore throats, control blood sugar, balance hormones, heal cold sores, and treat eczema, asthma, flu, herpes, and hepatitis. Its also popularly used as a natural laxative, so it can help with constipation, and as an aid for digestive problems. According to the medical journal, Nutrition and Cancer , substances in licorice may even protect against carcinogen-induced DNA. Furthermore, research suggests that it may help inhibit tumor formations and kill cancer cells.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Total Recall' commentary is a comedy goldmine
What do you get when you put Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven in a sound booth and play "Total Recall" for them? You get the greatest DVD commentary in the history of film. Well, it's not so much commentary as it is Arnold explaining what he's seeing on the screen and Verhoeven agreeing with him.Tristar Pictures
Check out this not-safe-for-work sample of the commentary (contains violence, language, and prosthetic side-breast):
10 Wonderful Ways to Use Vinegar
Vinegar isn't just for salad dressings (although it's great for that too!).
This powerful liquid can do just about anything your roster of cleaning products can, and at a fraction of a cost.
From making cut flowers last longer to ridding our boots of salt stains, our favourite household staple is a powerful ally to any cleaning regimen.
Here are our favourite ways to use it.
4 Pricing Strategies That Increase Your Spending
In marketing and retail, the price of a product is often the most important factor in determining the product's success. Sure, quality and appearance play a large role in a customer's decision, but shoppers are being manipulated by the pricing, and they're often not even aware of it.
Ideally, every retailer would determine their costs to provide goods or services, and then tack on a modest surcharge to those goods or services to produce a profit. But in the reality of your local Target or Safeway, shopping is not that simple. Finding the true cost or value of an item is muddled in rewards programs, rebates, discounts on multiple items, etc. More than ever before, retailers and service providers understand that a mix of the following pricing strategies will ultimately produce more profits than selling exclusively with a variable cost-plus pricing method.
Prestige Pricing
Android models dominate 'Dirty Dozen' list of unsafe smartphones
Android can boast its strength in numbers since topping their Apple competitors in smartphone sales back in March, but a recent study is bound to serve up the OS developers with a little humility.The 'Dirty Dozen' list of the market's most unsafe smartphones consists solely of Android models. Researchers at Bit9 have convicted 12 such devices of posing the highest privacy and security risks to its users.
Dancing with the Stars: J.R. Martinez Wins!
The winner of Dancing with the Stars is…
J.R. Martinez!
The 28-year-old veteran and actor beat out Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy on Tuesday's finale.
PHOTOS: Look back at DWTS' season 13 cast!
"First and foremost, I want to think everybody who voted for us for 10 weeks," Martinez gushed. "Thank you, America, for believing in us!" For Martinez's pro partner, Karina Smirnoff, the Mirror Ball Trophy was the first she'd won in her 10 seasons with the show.
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
New Trend: Intentionally-Crooked Teeth. (Really)
Japan. The forward-thinking land that first brought us lash extensions and 100-degree therapeutic baths is now responsible for a new beauty trend, but this one is sending shivers down the spines of traditional orthodontists.
The country's latest brain trust? Deliberately crooked teeth. (Perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised, considering bagel-shaped forehead injections and flesh-eating fish pedicures also originated in this country.)
The look is called "yaeba," Japaneses for "double tooth," and it's achieved by attaching non-permanent mini-fang caps to the canine teeth in an attempt to look more childlike, and more desirable.
Money doesn’t buy happiness – unless you spend it on others
We know we can't buy happiness, but that doesn't stop us from trying.PsyBlog recently looked at studies that seem to indicate that money can have an impact on our personal happiness — if we spend it on others.
Why does "prosocial spending" make us happy?
"It's partly because giving to others makes us feel good about ourselves. It helps promote a view of ourselves as responsible and giving people, which in turn makes us feel happy. It's also partly because spending money on others helps cement our social relationships. And people with stronger social ties are generally happier," the blogger writes.
5 Used Cars to Avoid (plus Alternatives)
The 2008 Beetle is button-cute, yes, but expensive electronic problems could be in an owner's future. Below: we rank the five used cars you should avoid (alongside better choices from the same category).
Even though auto manufacturers have greatly boosted quality and reliability, buying a used car can still be a process fraught with anxiety. In addition to worrying about the honesty of the seller, you also want to be sure to avoid vehicles with poor reliability records.To help with that, MoneyWatch looked at owner surveys to see which cars look like trouble, focusing on five separate categories. The focus was on 2008 models - the year ranked in the latest dependability study from J.D. Power and Associates. Buying a 3-year-old used car also lets you shop after the biggest new-car depreciation already has taken place: Because used car prices have risen so sharply this year, 1- and 2-year-old used models can make worse financial sense than buying new.
Finally! Beyonce Reveals Her Wedding Dress from 2008 Nuptials
Better late than never!
Beyonce and Jay-Z's posh April 4, 2008 wedding in NYC was one of the most closely guarded celeb nuptials ever -- with few details and no photos emerging from the big day.
PHOTOS: Beyonce's amazing baby bump style
Over three years later, however, Beyonce (now expecting her first child with her man) is ready to share one very significant moment from her wedding day: Her dress!
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s Final Weeks As a Couple
And another Hollywood marriage bites the dust. After weeks of speculation about their union, Demi Moore, 49, announced today that she will divorce her husband of six years, Ashton Kutcher, 33. Since the two often let us in -- perhaps a little too much -- on their lives via Twitter, the demise of the once lovey-dovey coupling of Ashton and Demi came as a surprise at first ... but recently it seemed all but inevitable.Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore (Jim Spellman/WireImage.com)
The trouble began with reports that Ashton had gone astray while partying it up in San Diego on -- get this -- the night before his sixth wedding anniversary, while Demi was working in New York. Rumor had it that Sara Leal, 22, a local administrative assistant, was the other woman.
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
L’eggs Nude Pantyhose Aiming for Comeback
Some female employees working in formal offices never stopped wearing nude pantyhose, but for most of us, the sheer legwear is a distant memory, more associated with our mothers' generation, than our own. Pantyhose (literally hose with an attached panty) came on the market in 1965, timed perfectly with that decade's miniskirt craze. While nude stockings remained popular in the '70s and '80s as women increased their presence in the workplace, bare legs became an acceptable office look in the '90s, and our gams have been liberated ever since. Until now. With style icon Kate Middleton strutting in silky nylons, pantyhose are poised for a comeback and the beloved retro brand, L'eggs, (Remember them? They've been around since 1969) is jumping on the opportunity. The company has a sexy modernized campaign meant to appeal to a new generation of young women.
Which Healthy Foods Are Best for Flat Abs?
What are the best foods for firmer abs?
What are the best foods for firmer abs?
We've heard the saying "abs are made in the kitchen," but what does that mean? When it feels like you're working out and not seeing the result you want, could it have something to do with your diet? We went to SHAPE diet doctor Mike Roussell to figure if there are certain foods that can help you on your route to firm, toned abs. Here's what he had to say:The problem is simple: It's very easy to eat a lot of calories, but it's very hard to burn a lot of calories. The popular slogan "abs are made in the kitchen" refers to the fact that what you eat has a far greater impact on weight loss than any form of exercise you do. But despite the popularity of this saying, many people still attempt to uncover their abs with endless crunches and laps around the track.
Do you need winter tires?
“Tis the season to be jolly”, or so claims the famous Christmas song we know and enjoy at this time of year. But does this hold true when it comes to driving our vehicles as temperatures drop, snow starts to fall and winter shovels replace garden rakes at the side of the shed?
With each change of season comes the need to adjust our driving habits and the equipment found on our vehicles. Although all-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles offer greater traction and all-weather drivability in general, they can be just as hazardous as any other vehicle when equipped with all-season or "M + S" tires in the winter.
All-season tires are designed to perform best when the temperature exceeds 7°C. Below this, they become hard and begin to lose grip. Winter tires are specifically designed to remain flexible in cold weather. Plus, their deeper tread pattern acts as a shovel to clear away snow and water from the tire as it rotates. With more rubber exposed tothe road surface, traction improves dramatically when compared to all-season tires.
5 Truths About Drinking Water
Carbs, fat, protein, and sugar always seem to be triggering some sort of debate, but good old water? It doesn’t seem like it should be controversial at all, but it’s been the source of some scuttlebutt recently after a health expert claimed that the need for eight glasses per day is “nonsense.” So what’s the deal? Here are five hard facts about agua.
TRUTH: Fluid needs aren’t the same as water needs
According to the Institute of Medicine, women 19 and over need 2.7 liters of total fluid per day (about 11 8-oz cups) and men need 3.7 (about 15 8-oz cups). But that’s total fluid, not just water, and foods can provide a significant chunk. For example an 8 ounce container of plain, nonfat yogurt supplies 7 oz of fluid, a cup of watermelon 5 oz and even a medium banana, which you don’t think of as being “watery” provides 3 oz. Now that said, if you racked up 20 percent of your fluid needs from food that still leaves nearly nine cups of fluid to go for women, so if water is the only beverage you drink, eight cups (8 oz each) may not be enough.
B.C. man believes his video proves existence of Ogopogo
Like most purported videos of Big Foot, a Yeti or the Loch Ness Monster, the latest clip of Ogopogo is blurry and shaky, but a B.C. man believes it proves the existence of the fabled Okanagan Valley lake creature.
"Wow, that's pretty big," Richard Huls says in the video about the waves. "No boats around."
Huls tells the Vancouver Sun he has always believed in the lake monster and says his video proves something massive lives in Lake Okanagan.
"It was not a wave obviously, just a darker colour," he says to the Sun. "The size and the fact they were not parallel with the waves made me think it had to be something else."
Essential Windows Maintenance: How to keep your system performing at its best
Most of us don't have the time, money, or inclination to buy a new computer every year or two to remain near the cutting edge of performance. The days when that edge was advancing by leaps and bounds every 18 months are behind us now, and it's a lot less frustrating to keep a computer for four or five years and still enjoy functional use. This follows similar trends in automotive ownership; cars are lasting longer, and with so many people feeling the financial pinch these days, upgrading your entire system is easy to put off until something goes really, really wrong and you need to replace components (or the whole thing).
via tecca.com
‘Mini Monet’ sells enough art to buy a home
At an age when most of his peers are just starting to figure out proportion and perspective in art class, Kieron Williamson, 9, has been painting professionally for years.
Dubbed a 'Mini Monet,' the renowned landscape artist just purchased his family a £150,000 ($245,000 CAD) home in Ludham, England, from his earnings. (The home, a former 19th century bank, will remain in trust until his 18th birthday.)
Kieron's last major exhibition saw 33 of his paintings sold within a half hour — for £150,000. His latest 12 paintings will go on sale this week at Norfolk's Picturecraft Gallery. With buyers already promising to camp overnight outside the gallery, the prodigy's exhibit is expected to sell out instantly.
Watch ABC's coverage of his last exhibition below.
"It's lovely to see a nine-year-old boy keeping traditional landscape painting alive," Kieron's mother, Michelle, told The BBC.
Homebuyer with huge bill not told about old leak
A homebuyer from Victoria, B.C., is upset over being hit with $50,000 worth of unexpected repairs to his basement, after the seller and his realtor didn't tell him about previous water leakage problems.
"We don't care — between the seller and the realtor — who was responsible for disclosing or who didn't disclose. The two of them knew there had been an issue with this house," said Glen Plummer.
His dilemma is similar to those of hundreds of Canadians who've gone to court in recent years, claiming they weren't told about known defects in homes they purchased. Sellers in every province are supposed to disclose any major, hidden defects to prospective buyers.
"We're stuck with a house that isn't livable … and we're out of money," said Plummer.
Massive asteroid closes in on Earth fly-by
A big asteroid is set to make its closest flyby of Earth in 200 years on Tuesday, but there is no chance of a crash landing when it zips by our planet, NASA said.
Astronomers have aimed their telescopes to catch a glimpse of the 2005 YU55 asteroid, which will not be visible to the naked eye, when it makes its closest approach to Earth at 6:28 pm (2328 GMT).
The 1,300 feet (400 meter) wide asteroid often travels in the vicinity of the Earth, Mars and Venus, but "the 2011 encounter with Earth is the closest it has come for at least the last 200 years," the US space agency said.
Other asteroids of this size pass by Earth more frequently, though the last such event happened in 1976 and the next will not happen again until 2028 when as asteroid called 2001 WN5 will skim about halfway between the Moon and Earth.
U.S. shoplifter caught on camera dancing while stealing
Many people are guilty of feeling the music and doing a little jig while shopping, but one man has become an Internet hit after he was caught on a security camera busting a move while shoplifting.
The man can be seen waving his hands in the air while holding up woman's clothing and then shoving it under his shirt at a K-mart in New Jersey.
He was confronted by a security guard outside the store, but dropped the goods and took off before police could catch him.
How to choose a healthier lunch meat, and six key ingredients to avoid
A sandwich with a couple of slices of turkey and cheese is a cheap and quick-to-prepare brown-bag lunch, but the health warnings are clear: processed meats have been linked to increased risk of cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. As the Globe and Mail reported, the government is considering new labelling for deli meats that would prevent them from being labelled as "natural" if they contain cultured celery extract, a preserving agent that contains nitrates and nitrites.
Should we avoid processed and deli meats altogether, or are there any deli meats that are "safe" to eat?
Top climate scientists predict grim future of more extreme weather, higher costs
WASHINGTON - For a world already weary of weather catastrophes, the latest warning from top climate scientists paints a grim future: More floods, more heat waves, more droughts and greater costs to deal with them.
A draft summary of an international scientific report obtained by The Associated Press says the extremes caused by global warming could eventually grow so severe that some locations become "increasingly marginal as places to live."
The report from the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change marks a change in climate science, from focusing on subtle shifts in average temperatures to concentrating on the harder-to-analyze freak events that grab headlines, hurt economies and kill people.
"The extremes are a really noticeable aspect of climate change," said Jerry Meehl, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. "I think people realize that the extremes are where we are going to see a lot of the impacts of climate change."
The World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces
Employees have spoken, and three technology companies took the top spots in a new survey of the best multinational workplaces: Microsoft, software-maker SAS, and data-storage company NetApp.
The Great Place to Work Institute, the same company that created the original 100 Best Companies to Work for in America list 15 years ago, has released its first ranking of the world's 25 best multinational workplaces.
[See The 50 Best Careers of 2011.]
To be eligible for the list, companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Places to Work lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide, and at least 40 percent of their global workforce must work outside of the company's home country. The 25 companies were chosen from a pool of more than 350 multinationals from 45 countries that participated in the survey.
"What we found in great workplaces is that they don't just do business as usual, and they try to be innovative, creative, and they really care about their people," says Jose Tolovi, global CEO of the Great Place to Work Institute.
5 Breakfast Cereals To Jump Start Your Day
When it comes to breakfast cereals, it can be hard to keep everyone happy. While we all agree that the tastier (and quicker!), the better — taste shouldn’t be highest on our priority list. We’ve found five delicious options full of whole grain goodness to give fat, sodium and sugar the heave-ho.
Post Shredded Wheat
There’s only one thing in Post Shredded Wheat – wheat. So there’s no sugar, salt or hidden ingredients, but you get loads of B vitamins, iron, zinc and magnesium instead.
15 Ways to Stop Wasting Money on Food
As anyone who's ever cleaned up after a dinner party knows, Americans waste a lot of food. In addition to the fruit, vegetables, and other items that go bad in our own kitchens, farmers and grocery stores toss unused goods as well. According to Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, it adds up to at least 160 billion pounds of wasted food each year. The problem is considered so serious that food industry groups have launched an initiative to reduce the amount of food that ends up in landfills while increasing the amount that goes to food banks.
[In Pictures: 10 Ways to Save on Food Costs]
In his book, Bloom says Americans themselves can also do a lot to stop food waste, starting with a few adjustments to refrigerator organization. Bloom recommends keeping a "use it up" shelf for items that will soon go bad so you remember to eat them. Here are 15 more recommendations from Bloom on how to waste less money on food:
The right way to cook eggs
Eggs have a superior nutritional profile and can easily be prepared in a variety of ways. However, as foolproof as cooking an egg might seem, many people still end up over- or under-cooking this delicate eat. Which is why we’ve rounded up some expert tips for cooking perfect eggs every time, no matter how you like them.(Thinkstock)
Scrambled
Stressed? You may be having a girl
(ThinkStock photos)
(ThinkStock photos)
Stress causes gray hair, wrinkles, gastrointestinal problems and...baby girls? A new study by Oxford researchers presented this week at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine's annual conference, suggests that high stress levels in pregnant women may be linked to the sex of their baby.Researchers measured two stress-related hormones‚ cortisol and alpha-amylase, in 338 British women, in the six months leading up to their pregnancies. What they found was that women with the highest levels of Cortisal–the hormone associated with long-term stress and concerns over issues of health and well-being—were 75 percent less likely to have a boy
Celebrity Coastumes Ideas
A lot of people haven’t thought about being someone famous for Halloween, so that means you won’t be seeing that much people dressing up just like you. A couple of the most famous celebrities that would be perfect for anyone from any age to dress up as are Michael Jackson, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Marilyn Monroe, and of course, Amy Winehouse.
-Michael Jackson
Click any picture for details
Michael Jackson is the king of pop, and to dress up like him on Halloween would be anyone’s honor.
Gas pump handles found to be filthiest surface people touch
People may think they touch some filthy surfaces such as public washroom toilets and ATMs, but the dirtiest thing people touch regularly is something every driver does regularly.gas-p
A new study by Kimberly-Clark Professional finds that gas pump handles contain the most germs.
"People do not realize the amount of contamination they are exposed to going to work each day and doing everyday things like filling their gas tank or riding on an escalator," says Professor of Microbiology Dr. Charles Gerba in a statement.
Hygienists conducted the test by swabbing surfaces in high-traffic areas in six major U.S. cities and measuring levels of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). "Objects with an ATP reading of 300 or higher are considered to have a high risk for illness transmission," reads the statement.
New Cars, Used Cars, Car Reviews, Car Research, Compare Prices
Keeping existing customers is a hallmark to success in any business, and it's especially important in the automotive industry, where the average product costs well over $30,000 and the typical ownership cycle is five or more years.
While automakers in the luxury segment are often thought of as enjoying among the most loyal customers in the business, the top names in this regard are all mainstream makes, according to a just-released report based on second-quarter 2011 sales compiled by Experian Automotive in Schaumburg, Ill.
Data shows that Kia currently boasts the most loyal owner body, with nearly 48 per cent of buyers returning to the brand this year. Ford is second highest with 46.5 per cent repeat business. Chevrolet, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda all registered around 40 per cent brand loyalty, with Subaru bringing back buyers at the rate of around 36 per cent.
Photos of terrified visitors to Canadian haunted house go viral
If you are looking for a real scare this Halloween season, head to Niagara Falls Canada.
Unfortunately for people caught on hidden cameras at Nightmares Fear Factory, the only thing that may be scarier than what they witness when caught on camera is seeing their pictures splashed all over the Internet.
"This is by far the scariest haunted house we have ever been in," says Larry Johnson in the comments section of the Nightmares website. "If you decide to enter make sure you leave a will with family members."
The owners of the haunted house have been posting the photos to Facebook for two years and Flicker for one, but they really began to get a lot of attention after being featured by Buzzfeed earlier in October. They were even featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and have made their way to countries including Australia, England and Japan.
3 easy ways to save on your mortgage
If you're like most Canadians, not many. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMCH), "27 per cent of recent homebuyers have either made a lump sum payment or increased their regular payment." That leaves 73 per cent of y'all doing nothing to speed up your mortgage payoff!
The easiest of the pay-it-off-faster options is the accelerated payment plan. Instead of making the equivalent of 12 monthly payments, you make 13 with the extra payment going directly to your principal. It cost just a few dollars extra a week, but the impact over the life of your mortgage can be huge. On a $300,000 mortgage at 6.5 per cent over 25 years you'd save over $60,000 in interest just by choosing this option.
The option that sees the least action is the lump-sum anniversary prepayment. Most mortgages allow you to make an extra payment each year, which goes directly to the principal. But folks just never seem able to come up with the money. Hey, why don't you make an RRSP contribution this year and then take your tax refund and use that to make an extra payment against your mortgage?
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